Sodium reduction through regulation: The food industry and the feds

Americans are consuming at least twice as much sodium as recommended by dietary guidelines. That excess sodium may contribute to 100,000 or more premature deaths annually. For the past 40 years, the FDA, USDA, NHLBI, and others have encouraged Americans to consume less sodium/salt and industry to reduce sodium levels in packaged and restaurant foods. Almost 10 years ago, the APHA urged a 50 percent reduction in sodium levels over 10 years. Unfortunately, consumers and industry have largely ignored that advice. Hence, in 2005 the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA to set limits on sodium levels, and, adapting the British government's sodium-reduction program, in 2010 New York City's sodium-reduction initiative issued voluntary sodium targets for various categories of food. A 2010 Institute of Medicine report urges the FDA to set gradually declining mandatory limits on sodium content. Several major companies have made voluntary commitments for sodium reductions over the next five years. The ball is now in the FDA's court.